Shattered
by SandrinePenn
Summary: What happens when the pitch perfect love falls to pieces?
1. Prologue

"This was never meant to work," I whispered as my true emotions betrayed me, tears rolling uncontrollably down my face. Rich laughed bitterly, shaking his head.

"You think I don't know that?"

"Why even waste your time then? If you knew it was going to end like this then wh..."

"Because I was stupid enough to think that you'd be different, Elli, that's why," he spat, throwing his hands up in the air and leaning against the wall. The sarcasm thick timbre of his voice was quickly deadened by the sound proofing tiles lining the walls and ceiling of the band room. "I thought, for one second, that maybe you could grow up."

Wiping my cheeks, I stared into Rich's eyes for the last time. "Bastard," I choked, turning on my heel and storming into the hall. Somehow, I got home without killing anyone.

He had taken everything from me: my love, my life, my music. All I wanted right now was to cause him the pain he had caused me. Picking up my phone, I dialed a number I'd grown to memorize over the last few months. Rich's girlfriend, Masie, answered on the second ring.

"This is Masie."

"Masie, its me. Look, I need to talk to you about something."

Twenty minutes later, his life was ruined too.

_The qualm of a generation exists in the pain they cause one another._

I hadn't always hated my director, though the same cannot be said for the rest of the band. He was rude, harsh, and unforgiving; qualities that I think made me a stronger musician. In the end, it was some deep seeded masochism that made us fall in love, the same desire that ripped us apart in the end.

My name is Eloisa Reynolds. I am seventeen years old, and live in Staffordshire, England.

For three years, I've been having an elicit affair with my band director.

It ended tonight.


	2. Birthday Boy

The first two years that Rich and I were together were not really anything more than a true, deep friendship that no one could know about; a secret club of sorts, of which we were the only two members. When Rich started dating Masie Jackson in the fall of my final year, however, the club suddenly became a game. Gallivanting around town with him was Masie's part in the relationship, whilst mine was to satiate his needs, be they what they may. I knew that he was falling in love with her: how could he not? I also knew, however, that he was already in love with me, and that in the end only one of us would be able to hold his heart. What frightened me, however, was that everyday it looked more and more like it was Masie's to hold.

_My name is that of a whisper, writ in water._

The week before the Christmas holidays, I was loitering around the performing arts building, waiting for Philharmonic rehearsal to end so that my sister, Lenora and I could head home. Glancing at my watch, it became exceedingly clear that Mr. Hanover, the orchestra director, was in no mood to release them on time, as the hour hand on my watch pushed close to 11. Sighing, I sat down on the floor outside the band room and stuck my iPod buds in my ears, losing myself to the London Symphony Orchestra and their recording of the "Pirate's of the Caribbean" soundtrack. Humming along with "He's a Pirate", I hardly noticed Rich moving around in his office. Flicking my eyes up on chance, I made eye contact with him through the window, the emerald green of his irises shining despite assured exhaustion. Smiling, I tossed my iPod back in my bag and slipped quietly into the band room just he closed the door to the office.

"Hello love," I said, my voice hushed. Grinning, he tugged on the doorknob to make sure the door was locked and pocketed his keys before grabbing my waist and pulling me into him. Staring up at him for a long moment, his eyes never leaving mine, I opened my mouth to say something just as he leaned down and captured my lips in his. Sliding my hands up his strong back, I linked my hands together behind his neck and kissed him deeply for a long moment, before physiology finally forced us apart, gasping for air. Rubbing his calloused thumb along my exposed hip bone, he rested his forehead against mine.

"Can you come over tonight?" he asked, leaning his groin against mine.

"I don't know. I have to take Leo home and then might want to think about homework," I said with a grimace. "And shouldn't you be out celebrating, Birthday Boy?" Rich laughed.

"Hardly. I'd hate to come in tomorrow with a roaring hangover."

"You're 24; I think you can handle yourself."

"Decidedly sure, but I'd rather you handled me instead," he whispered against my neck as he kissed a trail along my jawbone. Giggling, I pulled away before he had the chance to leave yet another inexplicable rouge hicky on my skin.

"I'll be there around one. I have to go," I sighed, hearing the movement outside the room. Stepping out of his grasp, I allowed myself to be pulled back for another kiss, leaving me breathless again. Smiling, I bit my lip and pushed out into the hallway where Leonora was waiting, violin in hand.

"Ready?" I asked. She nodded, following me out. Rich exited the band room as second later, on his cell phone.

"Yes darling, I know! I'll make it up to you later, I promise, but I'm just exhausted. A party pooper, I am. Yes dear. I love you too."

Ducking my head down so that no one could see the flush that raced across my cheeks, I fought the overwhelming guilt for the millionth time that week.


	3. Decidedly Not

"Oh Lord," I groaned as we collapsed against the mattress in a sweaty heap, exhausted and pleased. Breathing heavily, Rich rolled off of me and onto his back, wiping his brow before shoving out of bed and disappearing into the bathroom. After only a minute I heard water running and Rich'strained baritone booming against the marbled walls: he always sung in the shower, and loudly at that. How his neighbors dealt, I never figured out.

"Elli?" he called, my ears barely picking up on the sound against the cotton sheets pulled over my head.

"Yes love?"

"Come shower. You have to get home before school." Grinning, I realized he was right, as the clock now read 4:45 AM. Rolling to my side and padding across the bedroom, I stepped into the well and wrapped my arms around his waist.

"I say we forget school today."

"While I'm all for fighting the system and what have you, it would be rather obvious if both serial attendees were absent simultaneously, don't you think?

"Not nearly as obvious as the hicky you left on me."

"Touché, my dear." He turned in my arms and kissed me, the taste of fresh toothpaste lingering on his lips. "When can I see you again?" he asked, running a soaped hand through my tangled curls.

"Second block," I said with a coy smile. Rolling his eyes, Rich ran his palm down my front, his talented fingers coming to rest in between my legs. "Now that's just unfair."

"A little persuasion never hurt anyone. It's all fair in love."

"Decidedly not." Curling my fingers around his forearms, I managed to pull away. "I'll see you later, alright?"

"Fine," he pouted as I stepped under the faucet to rinse my hair.

"I love you," I mouthed, unable to actually say the words. Climbing out of the shower, I dried of quickly and headed back into the bedroom to dress.

"Elli," he called as I pulled my jeans on.

"Yes?"

"I love you too."


	4. Stop

"Please state your full name."

"Eloisa Odessa Charlotte Whitmore-Reynolds."

"How old are you?"

"Seventeen."

"Please state the full name of any siblings you might have."

"Leonora Beverley Hacienda Whitmore-Reynolds, Elliot Bravery Norman Calvin Whitmore-Reynolds III, and Madeline Cambridge Jessica Whitmore-Reynolds."

"Miss Reynolds, are you of any relation to Headmaster Elliot Reynolds?"

"Yes; he is my father."

"Thank you. You may await your assessment outside."

Gathering my bag up, I smiled at Headmistress Lowell and floated silently into the hallway, sitting down next to Madeline who had already tested. End of the Quinn assessments were upon us and everyone was slightly jumpy. Nudging my elbow, Madeline nodded towards Room Seven, where Rich had just sat down. Even teachers are not immune to the horrors of the end of the year.

"Please state your full name."

"Richard David Christian Hélène II."

"How old are you?"

"Twenty four."

"Please state the full name of any siblings you might have."

"Marissa Delaney Arietta Hélène and Aurora Marie Operaina Hélène."

"Your parents had a flair for the dramatic I see."

"Assuredly so."

"How long have you been employed at the British Royal Academy?"

"One Quinn."

"Where did you matriculate from?"

"Oxford."

"What is your position?"

"Bandmaster."

"Mr. Hélène, do you have children?"

"Yes, a daughter."

I felt my heart stop beating.


	5. Lie

As angry as I've ever been in my life, no emotion could come close to the rage coursing through my veins as I stormed down the music hallway, towards the office. Flinging the door open, my face flushed three different shades of crimson; I completely ignored Mr. Hansen and tramped up in front of Rich's desk.

"You... you... you liar!" I screeched, pointing my finger him as Mr. Hansen raised his eyebrows and quickly exited the office, pulling the door shut behind him. "I cannot believe you!"

Furrowing his brown, Rich shook his head. "Elli, what are you..."

"You have a child!" I screamed, throwing my bag to the ground. "How in bloody hell did that one escape your mind Richard?" Shutting his mouth, he looked down at his desk.

"You heard my assessment," he said, stating it as fact. I was unable to any longer control my emotions as the tears poured down my face.

"What else have you lied to me about? Do you not really care about me? Am I just a good fuck?" I cried, enunciating the last word with a bitter dagger as I gathered my bag off the ground, shaking my head. "Don't even try, Rich. It's not worth it. I don't care."

"Eloisa, please, just listen."

"Why! Why do I owe you that courtesy?"

"I've never met her. She's three years old and I've never even seen her. I don't know where she is."

"Then why tell Headmistress about her? It doesn't affect your job!"

"But it does. Her mother works here."

The silence in the room was painful as I adjusted my skirt in an attempt to take my mind away from the current situation.

"Carol Leigh," he said softly. "We had an affair in university and she gave the child up for adoption."

"Well, it was probably for the best," I responded, wiping my eyes. "I have to go."

"Eloisa..."

"I think Miss Reynolds is more appropriate, Sir."

I could feel his eyes on my back as I glided out of the office, unaware and uncaring of the stares I was receiving.

_But oh for silence, I dream aloud._

When I arrived home, he was already there, sitting on my front porch and petting my cat, Buttons.

"Traitor," I mumbled at the fur ball, bending and scooping him up. "Go home. I'm sure Masie misses you."

"I don't want to go home. Not in the mood."

"Yes, well, I'm neither in the mood for pleasantries."

Dropping the cat inside the threshold, I shut the door and crossed my arms, staring down at Rich as he stood and climbed up a step so that we were even.

"Eloisa, I don't want to go home to Masie, I want to be with you. I'm not in love with her."

"Don't lie to me. You're terrible at it."

"I'm not lying, dammit. I love you," he sighed, resting his hand on my arm, which I irritably brushed away, standing my ground.

"Don't... just stop. You don't love me."

"Fine. I'll walk away right now, and never be back, if that's what you want." Staring in my eyes, he leaned forward and placed a gentle kiss on my lips. "But I will miss you for the rest of my life." Blinking back tears, I nodded, returned his kiss and stepped inside my house.

That should have been the end. But, of course...

It wasn't.


	6. Feathers

Sprinting down the hall towards my third block class, cursing my four inch heels as I rounded the corner haphazardly, I shoved my iPod into my bag, "Teardrop" by Massive Attack still blaring. Skidding into my Biology class nearly ten minutes late, I hurried over to my desk where my lab partner, Jessamine Desica, was making quick work of an amphibian dissection.

"Oy, Elli. You're more than a little late today. Have a trite meeting with Codger and Cor?" she asked, smirking. Rolling my eyes, I tugged the hem of my vest down to cover my stomach as I rolled a pair of latex gloves on and picked up a scalpel.

"I quit band today, Jessa. I was talking to Codger about it and he's not thrilled."

"No, I'd imagine not. Bad blood finally come to heat?"

"Hardly. It was more... personal, really." Avoiding Jessa's gaze, I dug too deeply into the vena cava of our specimen, sending plasma flying.

"Ell! Come on; be a little bit more careful!" Jessa hissed, wiping her safety goggles off. "What's going on with you, seriously?"

"Look, I really don't want to talk about it..." I started, before Professor Hassid cut me off with an annoyed clip.

"Miss Reynolds is there something you'd like to pleasure us with?" she asked, crossing her arms over her chest. Nodding quickly, I looked down at my dissection.

"Oy, Elli, I heard you were shagging a teacher. Is it true?" a voice behind me whispered loudly. Blushing, I refused to look up.

"Mr. House, that is quite enough," Professor Hassid spat at the wretched boy behind me.

"Really, you need to learn some kind of decency," House's lab partner, Neil Perry, groaned. Smiling gratefully at Neil over my shoulder, I returned to our experiment. Jessa's face was the color of soured grapes.

"Is Greg, and I can't believe I'm saying this, right?"

"No! Of course not, that's ridiculous." Hiding my blush, I continued to desiccate the frog in front of me.

_Teardrop on the fire, feathers on my breath._

"I still can't believe she quit. We're in quite a jam without her," Bam Hansen muttered, rolling a pencil in between his hands. "Rich, doesn't it strike you as odd that she just up and left?"

"Well, she has been under a lot of stress," Rich observed, his heart pounding behind his chest. "Eric will be able to handle the first part." Bam snorted.

"Let's hope so. Midwest won't take lightly to mediocrity."

"She was more than just a good trumpeter."

"I know that. Why do you keep insisting that? Was she more than more than a trumpeter to you?" Bam asked with raised eyebrows. Avoiding his friends gaze, Rich stared out the office window into the hallway where the third block passers were loitering before the minute bell. "She WAS more than a trumpeter. Oh Rich... you're a moron."

"Look, it's over, okay?"

"Have you lost your mind? Honestly, man, she's a student." Rich slammed his fist against the desk, causing Bam to jump.

"Dammit, stop hounding me! I know." Rich breathed heavily, leaning back in his chair, covering his face with his hands.

"I have a class to teach," Bam said on his way out. "Go home. You look terrible, and you're unfit to teach Jazz. Just go." Unwilling to argue, Rich grabbed his bag and stormed out of the band room, pushing through the throngs of kids and out into the swirling black sky, threatening rain and hail.

It took fifteen minutes for Rich to reach his flat from BPS where, sitting on his front porch, was Leonora Reynolds. Sighing, Rich walked up to his house till he was toe to toe with Leo.

"Let's talk," she said, leaving little room for question.


End file.
